As noted at US news sites on Wednesday, the Pinay conjoined twins have been separated successfully at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Stanford University, California after nine hours of operation.

“This is a dream come true. I thank God for everything; words cannot express how the family feels for the successful separation of our twins, Angelica and Angelina.” Ginady, the Sabuco twins‘ mother, was told reporters.

“On behalf of my family, we thank Dr. Hartman and the team, all the nurses and the staff of Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and the media.” Ginady Sabuco added, whose twins were born in the Philippines in August 2009 but the family moved to the US last year.

According to reports, the operation involved a medical team headed by Dr. Gary Hartman, whose members include about 20 physicians and more than 15 operating room staff.

“The long-term prognosis is that we should have a happy, healthy set of girls. We don’t see any barrier to a full recovery,” Dr. Hartman said on the press conference.

The 2-year old conjoined twins were being joined at the chest and abdomen. Their livers, diaphragms, breast bones, chest and abdominal wall muscles were all fused; but have separate hearts, brains, kidneys, stomachs and intestines.

Based on medical history, most conjoined twins reportedly do not survive pregnancy and was said to have an overall survival rate is approximately 25 percent. The occurrence of conjoined twins is being estimated to be between 1 in 50,000 births and 1 in 100,000 births worldwide.

Meanwhile, the Sabuco sisters are now on their way to recovery and will be staying in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) for a week and being expected to stay for another week in the hospital for further recovery.